Azul ‘wrestling’ with LiveTV technology issues: Neeleman

Brazi's Azul aims to resolve next year challenges that have so far prevented the carrier from offering live television service.

Azul opted for LiveTV prior to launching services last December but has not yet been able to begin offering live television on board its fleet of Embraer E-190s and E-195s.

"We're still wrestling with the satellite part of it. The technology is still not completely done," Azul founder and chairman David Neeleman told ATI sister publication Airline Business Magazine.

He adds the technology issues should be resolved shortly and Azul now aims to begin offering a live television service sometime in 2010. Azul previously was hoping to begin offering the service by the end of 2009.

LiveTV is a subsidiary of JetBlue Airways, which Neeleman founded and served as CEO before establishing Azul. The Brazilian low-cost carrier now operates seven E-190 and five E-195s, including two ex-JetBlue E-190s which are already outfitted with LiveTV's in-flight entertainment hardware.